1
as in disobeyed
to go against the commands, prohibitions, or rules of
in those days a woman was brave if she defied fashion and wore white after Labor Day
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
3
as in confronted
to oppose (something hostile or dangerous) with firmness or courage
a rescue team willing to defy the raging storm
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in resisted
to refuse to give in to
a bicyclist who regularly defies illness and infirmity in order to compete in races
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of defied
Vatican prosecutors on Thursday seemingly defied an appeals court order to turn over to the defense all the evidence gathered in the Vatican’s big financial trial, setting the stage for another clash in the long-running case.
—
ABC News, 30 Apr. 2026
Valadao has repeatedly defied the odds by winning the Central Valley district, where Democratic voters outnumber Republicans, in six out of the past seven elections.
—Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 29 Apr. 2026
Levine offered some theories depending on whether a young person is college-educated or not, but most defied simple narratives.
—Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 26 Apr. 2026
For decades now, China has functioned on the premise that wealth and social stability emerge only from a market economy in which big, unseen forces—not to be questioned or defied by individuals—control everything important.
—Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 24 Apr. 2026
Darin defied a fatal childhood diagnosis to become a chart-topping, genre-hopping showman with two Grammys and an Oscar nomination.
—Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 23 Apr. 2026
Under Claudio Ranieri, Leicester defied 5,000/1 odds to lift the trophy in that 2015-16 season.
—Dean Jones, New York Times, 22 Apr. 2026
Yet her grandmother defied those rigid gender norms, passing on to her the ancestral practice of the backstrap loom — an ancient, portable device operated using a strap secured around the weaver’s waist.
—María Teresa Hernández, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026
The rally has also defied conventional wisdom about the impact of energy prices on stocks.
—Steve Kopack, NBC news, 15 Apr. 2026
ABC News, 30 Apr. 2026
Valadao has repeatedly defied the odds by winning the Central Valley district, where Democratic voters outnumber Republicans, in six out of the past seven elections.
—Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 29 Apr. 2026
Levine offered some theories depending on whether a young person is college-educated or not, but most defied simple narratives.
—Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 26 Apr. 2026
For decades now, China has functioned on the premise that wealth and social stability emerge only from a market economy in which big, unseen forces—not to be questioned or defied by individuals—control everything important.
—Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 24 Apr. 2026
Darin defied a fatal childhood diagnosis to become a chart-topping, genre-hopping showman with two Grammys and an Oscar nomination.
—Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 23 Apr. 2026
Under Claudio Ranieri, Leicester defied 5,000/1 odds to lift the trophy in that 2015-16 season.
—Dean Jones, New York Times, 22 Apr. 2026
Yet her grandmother defied those rigid gender norms, passing on to her the ancestral practice of the backstrap loom — an ancient, portable device operated using a strap secured around the weaver’s waist.
—María Teresa Hernández, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026
The rally has also defied conventional wisdom about the impact of energy prices on stocks.
—Steve Kopack, NBC news, 15 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defied
Verb
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However, all of the city’s fire stations seemingly disobeyed the mayor by lowering their flags.—
R. Christian Smith,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Apr. 2026
-
In one story, the king, Hiranyakashipu, ordered everyone in his kingdom to worship him and was irked when his own son Prahlad, a devotee of Lord Vishnu, disobeyed his command.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
But even at its most tender, Motown never dared to be as unabashedly sultry as the Ottavianos.—
Billie Bugara,
Pitchfork,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Fallon even dared Coughlan to ask Dave Grohl — who is serving as musical guest with his band Foo Fighters — to be her best friend.—
Ellise Shafer,
Variety,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
When agents confronted him, the situation escalated quickly.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Spillman appeared to take issue with Amil's vehicle blocking the sidewalk and confronted him.—
Charna Flam,
PEOPLE,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But critics say Sheinbaum’s government has resisted taking steps against corrupt politicians linked to the ruling party.—
Kate Linthicum,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Residents who resisted the charms of the governor’s multimillion-dollar press team were already raising an eyebrow at the bold claims and estimates.—
Torrey Snow,
Baltimore Sun,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The Colorectal Cancer Alliance's survey shows younger patients' symptoms often go ignored, delaying diagnosis and treatment.—
Yuki Noguchi,
NPR,
30 Apr. 2026
-
The Other Bennet Sister BritBox, May 6 Hadlow’s continuation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice imagines the fortunes of Mary Bennet, aka the boring (though not entirely ignored) one.—
Emily Temple,
Literary Hub,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Jacas specifically highlighted the players’ buy-in and how the staff challenged him physically and mentally during his time in the facility.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
25 Apr. 2026
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Regulators have challenged specific Kalshi markets while allowing others to proceed, leaving the boundaries unsettled.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
We are faced with a vastly more consequential version of a Catch-22.—
Fintan O’Toole,
The New York Review of Books,
25 Apr. 2026
-
However — and this is significant — Buffett faced some years with huge losses.—
Terry Savage,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Reggie Miller was opposed, but Kyle Korver and Larry Bird were open to it.—
Charles Bethea,
New Yorker,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Democrats have opposed the president’s efforts but long ago sacrificed the moral high ground.—
Colin Pascal,
Baltimore Sun,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Defied.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defied. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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